| By O.M. Wakefield To many, Jean Shepherd
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| | the volatile Sixties, Jean Shepherd was
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| was a radio genius, magnificent
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| | an influential guide into a realm of
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| storyteller and more. He has often been
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| | rebellion, non-conformity, art, music and
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| referred to as "a Mark Twain for our
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| | humor. Well known books by Shepherd
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| time". At the same time, he was a unique
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| | include "In God We Trust, All Others Pay
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| and unusual individual who meant
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| | Cash" and "Wanda Hickey's Night of Golden
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| different things to different people.
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| | Memories". But most will remember him
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| However, most will universally agree that
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| | best for his wonderful stories narrated
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| Jean Shepherd was a Great American
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| | in his own voice via the magic of talk
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| Humorist. Shepherd was born in Chicago on
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| | radio. When it comes to Jean Shepherd
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| July 26, 1921 and divided his youth
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| | radio show stories there is a great
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| between Chicago's south side and Hammond,
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| | legacy left behind and hundreds of hours
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| Indiana. In the years when Dwight D.
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| | of entertainment available. Whether you
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| Eisenhower was the United States
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| | are an established self proclaimed fan of
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| President, Shepherd was the radical voice
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| | Jean Shepherd or not, these old radio
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| of pop culture in the best sense of the
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| | stories are a "must listen" for anyone
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| word. But in the purest sense Jean
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| | who loves humor, great stories, and the
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| Shepherd was a humorist, in the classic
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| | history of humor. Luckily, due to the
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| comic tradition taken from the adages
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| | resurgence of interest in nostalgic radio
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| that "truth is often found in humor" and
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| | shows hundreds of great Jean Shepherd
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| also that "pain is often found in truth".
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| | episodes are readily available online.
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| Jean Shepherd was a very popular cult
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| | The best source for these (that I have
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| radio and cabaret personality in New York
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| | found) is Bookzap, There you can find
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| during the 1950's and 1960's. One thing
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| | over seven hundred episodes of Jean
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| that makes Shepherd's appeal so universal
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| | Shepherd radio shows on both CD and DVD
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| is the fact that his stories ring true
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| | disks with crystalline clear sound
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| and nostalgic for listener whether or not
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| | quality. I highly recommend that you
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| they lived in the era he usually wrote
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| | check Bookzap out! Of course Mark Twain
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| and spoke about. A renowned PBS and talk
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| | and Garrison Keilor will always get their
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| radio personality, Shepherd was
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| | due respect as two of America's greatest
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| responsible for creating many nostalgic
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| | story tellers ever, while Jean Shepherd
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| humorous pieces of Americana
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| | rarely gets a mention. But consider this,
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| storytelling, which later led to his
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| | Jean Shepherd was probably the greatest
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| being compared to the likes of Garrison
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| | kazoo player of the past 50 years, and an
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| Keilor. Earlier, from 1950-1954, Jean
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| | ardent defender of its use. Who else can
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| Shepherd was a radio DJ on WSAI Radio and
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| | say that? O. M. Wakefield is active in
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| also appeared on a nightly comedy show,
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| | the Old Time Radio Community as a
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| "Rear Bumpers," on WLW, in Cincinnati.
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| | Collector and Reviewer. He advises folks
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| Jean Shepherd's most notable and well
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| | to visit Bookzap's Giant OTR Collections
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| known achievement was perhaps the
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| | and Radio Treasury OTR Online Catalogs
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| creation of the indefatigable Ralphie
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| | for wonderful values and information
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| Parker and his quest for a BB gun in the
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| | regarding the Old Time Radio Show
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| holiday classic "A Christmas Story". In
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| | possibilities.
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| the transition from the "Leave It To
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| | More articles from this pro: M.
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| Beaver 1950s" to the brave new world of
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